Lessons in What Not to Do: Oh Sandra Kay!

 

 

Dave and I were bad.  Really bad.  We’ve been planning to kidnap our nieces for the past few years and never quite got up the courage to actually go through with it.  Actually, our crazy-busy teenage nieces never had the time to indulge their old, fuddy-duddy aunt and uncle.  But this year we made the getaway with Miss Sandra strapped in the back of the Yukon.  No, we didn’t bind and gag her though I seriously thought about such restraint for the other three – who shall remain nameless– that we had to take home.  I’m sure she was doubting her decision halfway into the nine and a half hour trek, but she took it like a pro and didn’t bolt at the numerous potty stops along the way.

 

So what do you do with a teenage girl in the house?  Shopping.  Lots of shopping.  All day long marathon shopping.  Good ol’dollar days at Savers thrift store and Sandra and I were hunting the deals for a new wardrobe.  Name brand clothes, little bitty price tag.  We picked up the basics, those pieces every girl should have in her arsenal.  A nice flirty yet modest black skirt, fitted shirts and jackets, jeans that hugged all the right places – even if you are a beanpole – and shoes to finish off the look.  Let me tell you, she was a trooper.  It couldn’t have been easy to have a shop-happy aunt like me keep tossing this and that into the dressing room at a rapid-fire pace and expect to fulfill the “mommy” duty of having to crack the door to check for color and fit.  In the end, we left with quite a haul and a handful of outfits to mix and match.  Not bad for her first day in Chaos.

 

The following Monday was the big day!  A nine-thirty Razzle Dazzle appointment for a cut and highlights followed by photographer-wanna-be torture.  Downtown and down in an weedy field the poor girl was poked, prodded and plastered with hairspray to get the “shot”.

 

Meet Sandra.  She’s seventeen, a senior and the sweetest teenager I know.

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

August – A Narrative: Steinaker Resvr.

 

 

This years family reunion was held at Steinaker Reservoir State Park, just outside of Vernal, Utah August  6th through 9th. 

 

Food.  It’s always about the food, isn’t it?   A bit of history served as the kitchen, an old Korean War relic that was built to feed the frontline troops was put to use feeding our horde.  Susie, Slade and Co. provided us with plenty of vittles to keep us going and coming back for more.

 

 

 

Lots of crafts to entertain.  Beads and lacing. Leather works and even a forge.

 

 

 

Friday night we were treated to a puppet show by Slade’s brother and sister-in-law.  Here I am pretending to be a set of drums.

The kids loved it… even the big ones!

 

 

 

  

The baby monkey was a hit. 

 

 

Dave and his sweet niece, Sarah.  Such a cutie!!

 

 

 

 

Whenever we weren’t being crafty, fed or entertained, most of us spent our days on the water.   For your viewing pleasure…

 

 

 

August – A Narrative: LPT 2009

 

 

 

D.J. the fisherman.

 

The last few days of July and the first of August were spent up at Lucky Peak Reservoir, nestled just past the foothills of Boise.  This was our second annual trip with friends to the local watering hole.  I especially like how we can go from camping to home in a little under an hour and still feel that we actually went somewhere.  The W’s, E’s, P’s made the trek again with the P’s II and the Ms. M joining the fray.  Horseshoes were a hit, but nothing beats a late evening dip.  The food was fantastic as always and there was plenty to be had.  Strapped into their lifejackets, the kids were constantly on the beach or in the water and were hardly heard from unless it was time to fill the bellies or slather on the sunscreen.  All in all it was a successful trip and one we look forward to next year.